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Happy New Year Launch Key 🚀 community!

I hope you are all enjoying time with family and friends as we close out another calendar. As much as I have loved having a house full of guests, I do not need any more desserts for the foreseeable future.

But before the Resolutions, a quick review of 2025 for this little newsletter enterprise. It’s been a solid creative outlet for me. But you’ve helped me grow by sending articles, reposting and forwarding issues to your own networks. More importantly, you’ve given me enough positive feedback that I keep working on improvements for the next gen of whatever Launch Key becomes.

So I begin 2026 with two simple words: Thank You.

• Gmail users may wish to read online since some parts may be clipped.

• Comment below and let me know if we’re on the right track.

Table of Contents

• Pull to Eject

• Modern Tools

• Free Knowledge

• Recommendations

• Visual Crapshoot

Pull to Eject

The 2025 Launch Key story has been steady 40% growth.

I started this list with friends and family and an audience of my peers – some of whom had asked for software recommendations. Most were over 50, experienced professionals, bored of corporate, interested in adding something entrepreneurial to their late-career portfolios.

Everyone should have a side hustle.

As many of you know, I started Launch Key as an old guy side hustle and a way to share Creator Economy ideas, links, modern tools and old school business insight. I have long believed that the people were more important than the technology. Still true today.

I believed a newsletter was my best creator avenue because I :

• enjoyed the writing/editing process

• wasn’t sure I could beat the search engine algo’s

• could experiment with content, polls, surveys, ads, etc

• started with a 35-year business network

I chose the new-to-me newsletter platform of Beehiiv.

As 2025 comes to a close, the company sent personalized slides of the year in review. And the few I include here are a good overview of how Launch Key performed.

Consistency wins over time.

I spent a little time most mornings working on content. But it wasn’t perfect consistency because … life. I’m still adjusting to opportunities in our new town. Honestly, I chased more fish and played more golf. I worked around the routine of our blind silver lab. We hosted family and friends and spent time in the NC mountains with mediocre internet access. Writing a newsletter can work around all of that.

Still, these once a week diatribes turned into 50,000 words and 365,000 impressions. And today’s issue marks 119 straight weeks.

I wouldn’t call it income generation, but I took in some advertising dollars from the Beehiiv ad network. I’ve sold a few digital products (Gumroad). I paid for some audience boosts, got boosted by others, worked to clean out unresponsive subscribers and did a mediocre job of reposting on LinkedIn. I can’t control the LinkedIn algo so who knows how much reach that gets.

Thanks to you, email opens and reader engagement is solid.

The year-end takeaway confirms my original premise: anyone can build a newsletter.

Or create a podcast. Or a blog. Or a product. Or write a book. Or start a consulting practice.

At any age.

Here are examples from a few Launch Key subscribers who have done just that:

• So you want to start a newsletter

• Have you thought of writing a book?

• Should you start a podcast?

The tools are affordable. The reach is global. Your uncommon knowledge is the differentiator. You are the brand.

And with just a bit of consistent effort, your audience could fill Red Rocks! 😉 

If you have ideas about creating a digital product or starting something in 2026, then join us and help make the Launch Key community even better.

Comment online. Share your ideas. Send articles. Do you have products or people that I should highlight? Ask questions. I’ll bet that our growing network can help answer them.

Thanks for your support and Happy New Year! 🎆 

Now go launch something 🚀 

Modern Tools

I’ve used many email platforms over the past few decades, including both enterprise and individual solutions. I never really loved any of them, until Beehiiv 🐝.

If your business will send newsletters, I can’t recommend it strongly enough.

• They’ve made it drag-and-drop easy and free to start

• They have built-in design tools

• They have a very good recommendation engine for other newsletters

• Their Advertiser network is robust and growing

Each week I get suggestions of companies who want to boost or sponsor my newsletter. I simply choose the ones I think will make the most sense for this audience.

Everything is automated: scheduling, distribution, payments, sponsorships, recommendation engine - all integrated with easy-to-use tools.

Ready to get started?

Click on the link below to save 20% off your first 3 months of a paid plan after a complimentary 30-day trial.

Free Knowledge

One of the biggest sticking points for would-be entrepreneurs is health care. Small businesses have traditionally not had great benefits.

Enter CrowdHealth. Only pay for the health care you need.

After years of paying premiums for health care that I never used - plus a very high deductible - I left for CrowdHealth. Your mileage may vary, but it’s worth your research.

A big 2026 starts now

Most people treat this stretch of the year as dead time. But builders like you know it’s actually prime time. And with beehiiv powering your content, world domination is truly in sight.

On beehiiv, you can launch your website in minutes with the AI Web Builder, publish a professional newsletter with ease, and even tap into huge earnings with the beehiiv Ad Network. It’s everything you need to create, grow, and monetize in one place.

In fact, we’re so hyped about what you’ll create, we’re giving you 30% off your first three months with code BIG30. So forget about taking a break. It’s time for a break-through.

Start building for 30% off today.

Recommendations

💼 Thriving Freelance - Gigs and Growth : Hundreds of job opportunities sent directly to your inbox each week, plus timely resources to support you as you grow and evolve.

🗃️ Dealroom Business Success Uncovered : Learn directly from billionaire entrepreneurs on how to grow a business. Join a community of 2,000+ innovators.

🖥️ Startup Marketer Newsletter - Your cheat sheet for marketing news, insights & tips tailored for the startup space.

Visual Crapshoot